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News Briefs

The Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program, in addition to hosting honors-specific events and sponsoring cultural activities, also sponsors a five-student council who act as liaisons to the program's administration. These students help schedule and coordinate events for the Program. While Chaim Metzger and Dani Schwab still retained their positions on the Council, three positions were available at the start of the year. Honors students were invited to submit a declaration of candidacy and a short biography to be emailed out to Honors Program students. After several weeks of voting via electronic ballots, the winners of the elections were recently announced. Two spots were awarded two juniors, Shlomo Friedman and Tzvi Levitin. Additionally, one of the five spots is traditionally reserved for a “First Time on Campus” student, and after a vote of students specifically within that sub-section of the Honors population, the winner was Avraham Wein. Congratulations to all and may you serve well.

New Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs

As announced both by President Joel in his semesterly Town Hall meeting and a YU-wide email from Senior Vice President Joshua Joseph, Dr. Paul Oestreicher, PhD, has been appointed Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs (CPA). The CPA office, as described on their website, “helps the Yeshiva University community deliver the most relevant messages in the most compelling manner.” Dr. Oestreicher, an accomplished PR consultant, professor, and author, brings in a wealth of knowledge to direct the communications staff responsible for the undergraduate campuses as well as the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. An “early architect of global communication planning, direct-to-consumer communications, and third-party alliance building,” Vice President Joseph also mentioned that Dr. Oestreicher would help direct the University’s public branding.

Commencement To Take Place During Finals Week

The Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ has hosted Yeshiva University’s Commencement for the past many years. This year is no different. However, due to scheduling conflicts with the venue, YU will not be able to have graduation on the date it was originally planned for - Thursday May 20. Instead, Commencement for 2015 graduates will now be take place on Sunday May 17th, right in the middle of final exams. According to Dr. Chaim Nissel, University Dean of Students, “there are no other suitable venues available and the options considered (earlier or later) are all less than ideal.”

Though little consolation for graduates hoping to completely finished with final exams before celebrating their accomplishments, no finals will take place on the 17th and, as a courtesy to graduates and their siblings, the administration hopes to not schedule any finals for the morning of Monday, May 18th.

YU Alumnus Highlighted on “CNN Heroes”

Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg, a YU alumnus, was recently named a 2014 Top 10 CNN Hero for his work in the therapy of children struggling with cancer and other childhood illnesses. His unique approach, which concentrates martial arts instruction and meditation to empower even the youngest of children, has led to training and classes in martial arts in over 30 hospitals and institutions around the world. His non-profit organization, Kids Kicking Cancer, has garnered the support of many, and Rabbi Goldberg, who also serves as a clinical assistant professor Wayne State University School of Medicine, hopes to spread word of his mission by winning CNN Hero of the Year. Voters can help out until voting closes on Sunday, November 16th.

Rabbi Goldberg, who graduated from YU’s MTA high school in 1974, Yeshiva College in 1977 and RIETS in 1981, has fond memories of the institution that gave him a unique life view with powerful tools to live with a sense of spiritual purpose effectively,” as discussed in an interview with YUNews. Rabbi Goldberg was also recently a keynote speaker on the Red Sarachek basketball tournament’s Shabbaton several years ago.